You don’t have to be a full-time, homeschooling family to take advantage of the various homeschool products available to all parents who are trying to provide a great education for their kids. Here are 10 easy ways to incorporate homeschool curriculum into your child’s learning even if they are enrolled full time in a public or private school.
1. Prevent Learning Loss
Keep your kiddos learning while on extended school breaks with homeschool curriculum. Math and reading skills in particular benefit from steady, daily practice. Find a format that fits your schedule and budget, and keep it fun! Incentive charts may help keep younger children motivated, while setting goals with older children who have college in mind is a great way to keep academics on track.
2. Explore a Passion
Is your child excited about a particular topic or subject? Go beyond your local library books, and use homeschool curriculum to explore further! Many product lines have elective subjects that can be taught as stand-alone courses or are self-paced for students to work through on their own.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice
Certain subjects require lots of practice to master fully. Math, music, and languages all require practice to make progress. If your child isn’t getting enough practice at school, choose a homeschool product to supplement schoolwork. Games, flashcards, and colorful manipulatives are perfect for keeping learning fun!
4. Challenge Gifted Students
Is your child not finding schoolwork engaging? Would he or she benefit from studying a subject not offered at their current grade level? Choose a higher grade homeschool curriculum to satisfy your gifted learner’s voracious appetite for knowledge. You can work on it after school, on breaks or over the weekend.
5. Present a Biblical Worldview
If your children are attending public school, chances are they are not being presented with a Biblical worldview on some science and history topics. If this is a concern, you may want to add a few homeschool materials to your routine for comparison and discussion.
6. Play Catch Up
Using homeschool curriculum with a child who is struggling in a certain area or who has fallen behind in a particular subject is a simple way for a parent to help at home. Many product lines offer placement tests to help you pinpoint any gaps in learning. Sometimes, just having material presented in a different way is all it takes for a child to grasp a concept they’ve been wrestling with. One-on-one attention from a parent can make all the difference.
7. Plan a Future Trip
History and geography curriculum can provide an educational dimension to your travel or vacation plans. Even if you’re not sure when you’ll be able to take the trip, dreaming together as a family can make the experience all the sweeter when you eventually go. Knowing a bit about the place you might visit will help your children absorb more information when they encounter your chosen destination. Find a product appropriate for your children’s reading level and spend some time reading before the trip. You can also plan to bring some fun workbooks or audio books along for car rides or plane rides to turn your vacation into an extended field trip.
8. Provide for Projects
Do you have a child who loves projects? Maybe a hands-on, loud and active builder? Or perhaps an artist, musician, or dreamer who likes to have quiet time to think and create? The typical school setting may not allow time or space for your creative child, but you can provide that at home. Fill your child’s room with materials they can explore. You’ll be amazed at the results!
9. Pray and Read Together
Homeschool Bible curriculum can easily be adapted for family devotions. If you have multiple children, choose a curriculum that suits the older children and adapt activities or discussion questions for the younger children. Coloring or activity books can help keep little hands busy. If mornings are too busy in your house, a bedtime routine that includes reading and prayer will be time well spent.
10. Prepare for Life
As your children grow, they will need to learn life skills that may not be taught in traditional school. For years homeschoolers have been teaching personal finance, homemaking, automotive repair, and more. Take advantage of homeschool materials to help you teach these important life lessons at home and prepare your children for whatever God has planned for them once they leave your nest.
To sum up, homeschool curriculum is vast in scope and easily accessible and adaptable to non-homeschooling families. Any parent who desires to supplement their children’s education will benefit from taking a look at what is available. If you need assistance, please contact one of our knowledgeable Homeschool Specialists at 1-800-CHRISTIAN. We’re here and happy to help!
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